Compressing Solidworks files
Compressing Solidworks files
(OP)
I have been experimenting with several different methods of shrinking Solidworks files for E-Mail byte-size limit purposes, including surpressing the features in the design tree, and also encompassing the model itself with an extruded box in the graphics area. Both of these methods seem to work ok, hopefully I will get more consistent with accumulated knowlege and practice.
I have downloaded unfrag.exe, and after running the program and filling in the proper info, it tells me that the file was reduced in size ok, however I cannot figure out where it saves the unfraged file to. It does not create a folder on my root, and it doesn't add the file to the folder that the file candidate came from. If someone could give me the clue that I'm missing, I would appreciate it.
Thanking you,
gda
I have downloaded unfrag.exe, and after running the program and filling in the proper info, it tells me that the file was reduced in size ok, however I cannot figure out where it saves the unfraged file to. It does not create a folder on my root, and it doesn't add the file to the folder that the file candidate came from. If someone could give me the clue that I'm missing, I would appreciate it.
Thanking you,
gda






RE: Compressing Solidworks files
also check out "EcoSqueeze". Does about the same thing.
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
However, with the increasingly inexpensive server space (often free), I find this less and less important--certainly no longer worth my time in suppressing features, etc. to compress file sizes.
Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
What did you dream? It's all right--we told you what to dream.
--Pink Floyd, Welcome to the Machine
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
gda
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
If you run a search on the web I found many ways of doing this many years ago. Saving a file to a new name is a fast way to reduce file size temporarily. It will return after you open and re-save the file again.
regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP![[pc2] pc2](https://www.tipmaster.com/images/pc2.gif)
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policieswww.scottjbaugh.com
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
These programs do not compress like "Zip" does. What these programs do is actually remove empty-but-reserved OLE bytes from files. This is different from "zip" compression. BTW you can get a double-bang by "Unfragging" and "zipping".
I think SW has actually improved file size in this respect. The % file size reduction from EcoSqueeze or Unfrag on SW2007 files is not as dramatic as it was in previous versions. I would guess that it is because SW has taken steps to control OLE-induced bloat from within SW's save process.
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
http://www.7-zip.org/
And no, I don't have any connection with the project, other than that I use it for backupping on my server and workstations. (I would like to use it for e-mail, but my customer base is not ready for anything other than zip...)
Stefan Hamminga
EngIT Solutions
CSWP/Mechanical designer
Searching Eng-Tips forums
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
I don't think I saw anyone mention that in r2007 and later you can now simply roll up the feature tree, save and zip.
No longer need to suppress features or put in a box.
In earlier versions if you tried to save in a rolled up state you would get an error.
Just let the person on the other end know to roll down the feature history. This can especially confuse them if there is an assembly along with the parts and they try to open the assembly first.
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
Random 30-file test, SolidWorks 2007:
7-Zip:
Native (rar): 10.1MB
Tar format: 19.5MB
Zip (Ultimate): 11.66MB (long compression time)
WinZip:
Zip (Maximum): 11.75MB (fast compression time)
Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
What did you dream? It's all right--we told you what to dream.
--Pink Floyd, Welcome to the Machine
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
In my experience, it reduces the file size nearly half.
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
The suppress features or rollback or delete body tricks are fine for a large complex part, or for a small assy with just a few parts, but they would soon become a royal PITA for larger assys ... especially when also having to return all the components to the default state.
The saving in download time would quickly be lost in un-suppressing or rolling forward or un-deleting all the components.
Now, if a macro(s) could be made to perform this task for both sender and receiver ...
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
gda
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
I have never had a problem with UnFrag, but then due to the increasing e-mail capacities this has become less of an issue. However, I am usually only e-mailing a single file or have to send a whole project in which case I am mailing a CD or using FTP.
I'll have to look into the roll up/down method. That seems intriguing. The only problem I see with it is that every file has to be opened and rolled down. How about a macro to do this? Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?
Happy New Year everyone!!
- - -Updraft
RE: Compressing Solidworks files
Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
What did you dream? It's all right--we told you what to dream.
--Pink Floyd, Welcome to the Machine